Argentina
CONMEBOL · Group J · FIFA Ranking #3
Team Info
| FIFA Code | ARG |
| Coach | Lionel Scaloni |
| Confederation | CONMEBOL |
| Group | Group J |
| FIFA Ranking | #3 |
Group Teams
Argentina
Austria
Algeria
Jordan
Match Schedule
Argentina
vs
Algeria
Argentina
vs
Austria
Jordan
vs
Argentina
📺 Where to watch in Argentina
- Telefe Free TV
- TV Pública Free TV
- TyC Sports Paid TV
- Paramount+ Streaming
- Disney+ Streaming
Tournament Outlook
Argentina arrive as defending world champions and the team to beat. Lionel Messi's likely farewell tournament adds an emotional dimension to a squad that already boasts extraordinary depth: Julián Álvarez provides relentless pressing and clinical finishing, Enzo Fernández anchors the midfield with composure beyond his years, and Alexis Mac Allister links play with the intelligence of a seasoned veteran. Lionel Scaloni has built something rare — a national team with genuine club-level chemistry, forged through Copa América 2021, the Finalissima, and the unforgettable Qatar 2022 triumph. The squad's mentality is its greatest weapon: they have proven they can win tight knockout games through sheer willpower, tactical discipline, and individual brilliance. Nicolás Otamendi and Cristian Romero bring defensive steel, while Nahuel Molina and Nicolás Tagliafico provide width. With a squad that blends World Cup-winning experience and hungry young talent, La Albiceleste are the clear favourites to become the first team to retain the trophy since Brazil in 1962.
Key Players
World Cup History
All-Time World Cup Record
Argentina's World Cup history reads like a novel of triumph and tragedy. The Albiceleste are three-time champions (1978, 1986, 2022) and have reached six finals in total — a record bettered only by Brazil and Germany. Diego Maradona's genius defined two eras: his "Hand of God" and the "Goal of the Century" powered the 1986 triumph in Mexico, while Lionel Messi spent two decades chasing Maradona's ghost before finally lifting the trophy in Qatar 2022, capping one of the greatest individual journeys in sport. That Lusail final against France — where Messi's brace was matched by Kylian Mbappé's hat-trick before a dramatic penalty shootout — is already considered one of the finest matches ever played. Argentina have also known bitter disappointment: the 1930 inaugural final lost to hosts Uruguay, the painful defeats in 1990 and 2014 finals, and a 24-year title drought from 1986 to 2022. Through 18 appearances and 88 matches, their passion and flair have made them one of the tournament's most compelling stories. In 2026, the reigning champions aim to defend their crown on North American soil.